Changes to UK SAR helicopter coverage

The joint Department for Transport and Ministry of Defence Private Finance Initiative will see the phasing out of the ageing fleet of Sea King helicopters to be replaced by the larger and faster Sikorsky S-92 machines at 12 bases around the UK from 2012.

Between 1998 and 2006 UK based rescue helicopters responded to more than 18,800 incidents covering 11,000 miles of coastline and 1.4m square miles of the UK Search and Rescue Region in addition to overland SAR.

The Soteria consortium (named after the Greek goddess of safety, deliverance and preservation from harm) combines Canadian based helicopter operator CHC, defence supplier Thales, financial services company RBS and US helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky.

Coverage is currently provided by a mix of military and civilian aircraft in the form of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Sea Kings together with Maritime and Coastguard Agency civilian operated helicopters. An interim five year contract awarded to CHC in 2007 (see MJ April 2008) saw the introduction of AW139 helicopters at Lee-on-Solent and Portland and S-92s at Stornoway and Sumburgh. The choice of the smaller but faster AW139 was based on the shorter range requirement and busier incident profile of the south coast locations, described at the time as a ‘smash and grab’ type of operation compared to the long range requirements of the two northern bases. Soteria’s proposals will see the AW139s replaced by S-92s, thus becoming the common aircraft type throughout the fleet.

Provision of S-92 helicopters at the remaining military bases is at the heart of Soteria’s proposals. Sea King helicopters are currently operated by the RN at Culdrose in Cornwall and Prestwick in Scotland and it is proposed to relocate the helicopter base from HMS Gannet at Prestwick to Glasgow Airport although there is some objection locally to such a move. The remaining Sea King bases are operated by the RAF at Chivenor, Boulmer, Leconfield, Wattisham, Valley and Lossiemouth.

Soteria’s SAR-H solution includes the ability to respond to 12 separate but concurrent incidents and the ability to reach all Very High Risk Areas and 75% of Medium Risk Areas within 60 minutes. Availability objectives include 98% on state of readiness, 15 minutes take off time during daytime and 45 minutes at night.

The S-92 is specifically configured for SAR operations with a top speed of 165 knots and a radius of operation of 270nm with the addition of an internal fuel tank. The diversity of SAR tasks demand a range of requirements when it comes to the cabin layout and the large 1.8m high cabin includes a rear ramp for the loading of firefighting and mountain rescue teams plus the provision of paramedic level of medical care including the loading of stretchers, incubators and other bulky medical equipment.

The contract also includes the provision of SAR helicopters for the Falkland Islands and the training of military SAR crews. By Peter Barker